Painting Process | TriBeCa Grand Commission Completed

TriBeCa Grand NYC Borbay Painting Final

In mid-February, I was commissioned by the CEO and Founder of BEVFORCE to recreate the storied TriBeCa Grand Hotel on a 48″X60″ canvas. Rapidly growing, the men and women of BEVFORCE required a larger, loftier space and with that came bare walls. After some discussion, we decided on a large canvas versus a mural… so the work could travel as they continue to grow.

While being created, this picture caught the keen eye of the TriBeCa Citizen, and was a topic of discussion during each session on Twitter.

TriBeCa Grand BEVFORCE

This was the exterior day shot I used as a point of reference.

TriBeCa Grand BEVFORCE

And for a sense of balance and visual information… the night shot. To create the desired final image, I referenced both the day man and the night man to faithfully capture my vision. Now, without further adieu, a stroke-by-stroke recap of this 20 square foot canvas.

TriBeCa Grand BEVFORCE

A blank slate.

TriBeCa Grand BEVFORCE

Beginning with a yellow outline to define the composition.

TriBeCa Grand BEVFORCE

Collaging the headlines, with an angular focus on the central vanishing point (not shown.)

TriBeCa Grand BEVFORCE

Further collage detailing – striving for a balanced surface.

TriBeCa Grand BEVFORCE

Re-blocking out the hotel with a nice, straight-from-the-tube cadmium red medium.

TriBeCa Grand BEVFORCE

Further collage at the bottom, exploring the angularity of the composition.

TriBeCa Grand BEVFORCE

A dense mass of collage.

TriBeCa Grand BEVFORCE

Splashing around some blues, one of the two most important colors on this canvas.

TriBeCa Grand BEVFORCE

This shot represented the end of day one.

Borbay TriBeCa Grand

With the entire surface covered, the process begins to slow down as the details begin to materialize – starting with the definition of the hotel itself.

Borbay TriBeCa Grand

Venturing to the window to capture a snowy day in TriBeCa.

Borbay TriBeCa Grand

I love these beautiful, classic buildings with their enormous windows, fire escapes and most importantly – wealthy patrons.

Borbay TriBeCa Grand

Working around a set of greens, a color centrally localized in the composition.

Borbay TriBeCa Grand

Ari Lankin snapped me painting “It’s True”, while I was saying, without realizing what I was painting, “it’s true.”

Borbay TriBeCa Grand

Focusing hard, letting the mustache do most of the work.

Borbay TriBeCa Grand

The sky is beginning to take shape… in this type of image, the picture can be quite busy; whenever you can harmonize a large swatch, it’s helpful.

Borbay TriBeCa Grand

In an attempt to firm-up the picture, I flipped the canvas upside-down to paint a portion of the street.

Borbay TriBeCa Grand

And another two days (first and second) in the books. Once the sides of the TriBeCa Grand and background buildings are nailed down, the march to completion shall begin.

Borbay TriBeCa Grand Painting

Working the swatches of color around the canvas, blues in every corner.

Borbay TriBeCa Grand Painting

Adding the yellow highlights in the windows, looking to create a warm and inviting hotel scene full of every day, ordinary people.

Borbay TriBeCa Grand Painting

Now getting into the shadows on the unlit sides of the TriBeCa Grand, and beginning to block out the different sections in the foreground.

Borbay TriBeCa Grand Painting

Really working into the background, nailing down the buildings along the horizon.

Borbay TriBeCa Grand Painting

And, after flipping the painting upside down and working on the oranges on the ground, a balance is beginning to form.

TriBeCa Grand NYC Borbay Painting

Playing with the blue/orange balance, bringing the sky to the foreground and the foreground to the building.

TriBeCa Grand NYC Borbay Painting

Bringing the facade of the TriBeCa Grand to the front of the picture plane, working the entrance way and conspicuously adding a Buddha to the hotel gang of: Steve Buscemi, Joe PantolianoMichael Imperioli, Robert Downey Jr. , Shakira, Rihanna, Ringo Starr, Dennis Hopper, Rosario Dawson, Brad Pitt, Tiger Woods, Jennifer Aniston, Conan O’Brien and Paris Hilton.

TriBeCa Grand NYC Borbay Painting

Fixing the clock, touching up small points throughout, nearly there.

TriBeCa Grand NYC Borbay Painting Final

And completed.

My friend on Twitter inquired “is there any thought behind the words you collage?” The short answer is yes, the long answer is no. When I broke my leg, I decided to get re-acquainted with the art of collage – primarily because I couldn’t get off of my couch and Oxycodone. When I began this new series, I started out with the matchsticks and xray images – but quickly moved on to the NY Post, which I chose for multiple reasons:

1. Newspapers are dying

2. I love the Post

3. The startling narrative of our times

One headline can be powerful, but 400 on the same plane can be poetry of the worst kind. Occasionally, I will collage the headlines with narrative intent, other times, I let the headline sizes and geometrical pattern dictate the placement. While painting, I often color headlines in the same tone to create subtle, sub narratives when read in sequential order. Tell Woody Allen to send over a strict Freudian, I am sure there are numerous subtexts written by my subconscious.

TriBeCa Grand NYC Borbay Painting Detail

A detail of a BEVFORE worker, getting checked out by Jennifer.

TriBeCa Grand NYC Borbay Painting Detail

Detail: Conan doesn’t need the people of earth to inspire a brisk jog in the opposite direction of Paris on all fours.

TriBeCa Grand NYC Borbay Painting Detail

Lights and dark, all beginning with newspaper headlines. Everybody is looking for someone or something at the TriBeCa Grand.

During the creation of this piece, I was privy to a delicious slice of cake from Billy’s in honor of Sean’s one year BEVFORCE anniversary. Good friend and fellow artist Ari Lankin stopped by. Artist, actor and activist Justin Christopher from ACE took me out for a bite. Erin, Krysti and Bob paid a visit for a sip of absinthe. I got to know an awesome group of people in Sean, Jill, Jennifer, Robyn, Gizmo… and spent some quality time with Josh and Alyssa. For more information about commissions or acquisitions, click here or simply email me to begin the dialogue.

I read this all the way to the bottom, and see me in person, say to me, “the night man cometh” – I will be impressed.

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19 comments

  1. Tom Hessel says:

    I love it! Especially the bold colors and the details that brought it all together at the end. Risky composition, too, but it really works for me. I’m a fan of the new collage/painting style and I can’t wait to see the final on the Boathouse.

  2. Borbay says:

    @Tom: Thank you for checking-in, as always! The Boathouse Post is coming tomorrow…

    @Tory: My mustache thanks you… good to hear from you.

  3. Tony says:

    Jason: I think you are now officially both an institution and a juggernaut…an institution as an artist who is solid and timeless like the buildings you feature, and a juggernaut because 1) the alliteration with Jason is kinda cool and 2) you’re unstoppable ability to distill what is contemporary into something with historic feel! Love the work, as always.

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